Dorset Fire and Rescue Service


Dorset Fire and Rescue Service is the former statutory Fire and Rescue Service for the area of Dorset, South West England. The Service Headquarters were located in Colliton Park, Dorchester, but as of October 2008 moved to a new purpose built location in Poundbury.
With effect from April 2016, the fire services of Dorset and Wiltshire were merged into the Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service.

History

Dorset County Fire Brigade was formed by mainly volunteer brigades, falling within the responsibility of Dorset County Council. Fire Brigades were nationalised during the Second World War and returned to the responsibility of County Councils on 1 April 1948. Between 1948 and 1974, Dorset Fire Brigade had eighteen part-time stations and three full-time stations. On 1 April 1974 the administrative area of Dorset County Council was increased to include Bournemouth and Christchurch and with it the area of the County Fire Brigade.
On 1 April 1997, as a result of local government reorganisation, two new Unitary Authorities were created in the county of Dorset: Bournemouth Borough and the Borough of Poole. Consequently, a new Combined Fire Authority became responsible for the service, which was renamed to Dorset Fire and Rescue Service.
As part of the FiReControl project, Dorset Fire and Rescue's control room was planned to switch over to the regional control centre in Taunton. Originally scheduled to take place in March 2010, the cutover date was revised to July 2011, however the plan was scrapped in December 2010.

Fire Stations and appliances

Station CallsignStation NameDuty SystemAppliances
KT01Lyme RegisRetained1x WrL
KT02CharmouthRetained1x WrL
KT03BridportRetained1x WrL, 1x H4P, 1x WrC
KT04BeaminsterRetained1x WrL, 1x L4P
KT05Maiden NewtonRetained1x WrL, 1x L4T, 1x BASU
KT06PortlandRetained2x WrL
KT07WeymouthWholetime/Retained1x WrL, 1x H4P, 1x ALP, 2x TRU
KT08DorchesterRetained1x WrL, 1x ERP
KT09SherborneRetained2x WrL
KT10Sturminster NewtonRetained2x WrL
KT11GillinghamRetained1x WrL, 1x ESU
KT12ShaftesburyRetained1x WrL, 1x H4P
KT13BlandfordRetained1x WrL, 1x ERP, 1x L4T, 1x IRU
KT14Bere RegisRetained1x WrL, 1x L4P
KT15WarehamRetained2x WrL, 1x H4WrC
KT16SwanageRetained1x WrL, 1x H4P, 1x L4T
KT17HamworthyRetained1x WrL, 1x L4P, 1x CSU
KT18PooleWholetime/Retained2x WrL, 1x H4P, 1x TRU, 1x ARU, 1x ISU, 1x WrC
KT19WimborneRetained1x WrL, 1x H4P, 1x L4T
KT20CranborneRetained1x WrL, 1x L4T
KT21FerndownDay Crewed1x WrL, 1x L4P, 1x WelfU
KT22RedhillWholetime1x WrL, 1x L4P
KT23WestbourneWholetime1x WrL, 1x ALP
KT24SpringbourneWholetime1x WrL
KT25VerwoodRetained1x WrL, 1x L4T
KT26ChristchurchWholetime/Retained1x WrL, 1x H4P, 1x L4P, 1x BASU, 1x WrC

Fire Appliance glossary/callsigns

Dorset Fire and Rescue Service works in partnership with the South Western Ambulance Service to provide emergency medical cover to selected areas of Dorset. Lyme Regis and Beaminster have been identified as having a greater need for ambulance cover. The aim of a co-responder team is to preserve life until the arrival of either a Rapid Response Vehicle or an Ambulance. Co-Responder vehicles are equipped with: